ATTENTION, CITIZEN JEROME-G. THIS IS YOUR FRIEND THE COMPUTER.
Jerome-G had a good job at the Threat Obfuscation Department in The Computer's underground city of Alpha Complex. He invented false threats to cover up true dangers. It made perfect sense, once he understood The Computer's idea of "true" is entirely false.
INTERNAL SECURITY CONSIDERS YOU A CITIZEN OF INTEREST.
Suddenly Jerome's fake menaces are turning real. Rogue robots are conspiring for independence. There's a pirate ship in the transport tubes. And the real-est threat is the powerful executive Ellister-V, who means to dispose of Jerome permanently.
WELCOME TO THE TROUBLESHOOTERS!
To evade a fatal reassignment as reactor shielding, Jerome volunteers for The Computer's elite service unit. Troubleshooters heroically defend Alpha Complex from traitors. Too bad Troubleshooters are often traitors themselves.
YOUR FIRST MISSION: FIND A LOST PAIR OF GLASSES.
If Jerome's teammates knew the equipment they seek is right in his pocket, they'd kill him. His experimental Augmented Reality goggles reveal the truth behind everything -- and he's more confused than ever.
YOU ARE IN ERROR. NO ONE IS SCREAMING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION.
Reality Optional - A PARANOIA novel by Gareth Hanrahan
(62,000 words - about 250 pages)
PARANOIA
Light-hearted stories of backstabbing, treachery, and Bouncy Bubble Beverage. Based on the bestselling roleplaying game of fear and ignorance in a darkly satirical future, official PARANOIA novels are now available as ebooks from Ultraviolet Books -- and they’re even for your security clearance.
If you prefer novels about Napoleon's invasion of Russia and the nature of power, history, and historiography -- well, have you tried War and Peace? That's a very nice book. But if you like Philip K. Dick and think The Office needs more firefights (and really, who doesn't?), your friend The Computer requires you to enjoy PARANOIA.
PARANOIA NOVELS ARE FUN. OTHER NOVELS ARE NOT FUN. READ PARANOIA.
